And not the sort you hear in ghost stories, actual ghosts, according to Gaius the veil between our world and the next has been torn and now beings from the afterlife are coming through and... freezing people to death.

I don't understand it either, but it's not just Gaius's word (although I have no reason to doubt it), first there was the girl from the village of Whitevale, Drea who saw them kill all she knew with her own eyes and then what I saw with the knights and Merlin just last night in the very same village.

The situation is getting worse, apparently the veil is centred on the Isle of the Blessed - which I always thought was a fairytale told to small children, but no, it's real. The creatures from the afterlife are coming from there and spreading out further and further. They will soon reach Camelot.

That is, if no-one stops them.

Which, of course, I won't allow.

I swore to protect the people of Camelot with my life and since the only way to close the veil is to go to the Isle and sacrifice a life, that is what I will do.

Father is in no fit state to rule, of course, but I'm sure...somehow...he'll find the strength he once had to rule over his people once more. And if not...Uncle will help him.

My only regret is leaving my fellow knights, and Guinevere...and even Merlin. He was a good friend...horrible servant, but good friend.

I suppose this is goodbye book. Try not to make anyone else's life as confusing as you made mine.

And lastly... why an an apple?

Even though the man is dead. Unbelievable.

Basically the problem is his kingdom. Cenred had no children - at least not any acknowledged children and no family it would seem, because in the months he's been dead no-one there seems to be trying to take the crown. It's not much of a kingdom if you ask me, which is probably the reason for that, but King Tewdrig is of the opinion that having a kingless kingdom is a liability and possibly a dangerous one.

Caerleon happens to be seperated from Cenred by Camelot, so he must be extremely worried. But as one of the councillor's mentioned a raid through our norther borders that could also encompass Caerleon (which is only a small kingdom) is more than possible.

So all this is bouncing around in my head and I have no idea what I''m supposed to do exactly. I suppose Cenred should be annexed, but Camelot is still recovering from Morgause and her army and not surprisingly Camelot's own army is less than enthusiastic about marching off and leaving family behind, especially since we don't have much of an idea of what's going on in Cenred.

I'm thinking spies might be useful...to report on the situation. Gwaine in particular would probably be suited to such a task. I need to track him down tomorrow - I'm sure he's in the tavern but I'm worn out.

Which is really quite sad.

No, they're in my pockets, still, because even though I'm not floating so much any more, I'm still ridiculously light on my feet as I discovered during training today. I practically jumped over Leon's head when all I was doing was simple lunge!

But really, I don't think anyone has noticed, not even Guinevere! Although I really didn't get to see her much today, she's helping put the finishing touches on the feast. I'm quite sure it will be a success now that she's behind it.

I have to work on my speeches though! The people love speeches, they really do, Father was always good at them...is good at them rather, and will be again when he recovers.

But in the meantime...I have to do it, so it's time to buckle down and get writing...

At today's council Lord Elagon (a man almost as old as Monmouth - and that's saying quite a lot) mentioned that the Feast of Beltane is only about ten days away now. Tradition states that a feast, a fair and bonfires be held to celebrate the occasion.

Except...it seems somewhat...wrong to me to be celebrating while the King is in such a state. Lord Elagon pointed out that the people need something to cheer them up after everything's that's happened.

Of course, I would be responsible for opening the Feast, sitting in the grand chair in the Main Hall, distrubuting the extra sacks of grain for the people of the surrounding villages. All the things Father used to do.

And...as far as arrangements go, Morgana.

I often think I shouldn't miss her, but I do...and it's not something I can say to others, no-one would believe it.

I wonder where she is now...does she regret anything? Aside from what happened to Morgause, who Leon tells me is apparently Morgana's half sister - be damned if I understand the connections. But I still don't understand, why would Morgana be so loyal to one half-sibling, but not the other. Am I really that irredeemable and offensive.

This is getting far off topic, I don't know why I write in this book most of the time, it's not like I've ever had a revelation doing so.

I'd be better off training...

It's been a mere four days since the overthrow of Queen Morgana and the sorceress Morgause and talk of the future of Camelot abounds.

Arthur finds himself wandering into the Nexus and posing a question hoping to get answers...

But Morgana and Morgause are nowhere to be found, Merlin and Gaius were the last people who saw them, in the chamber where they were keeping that damn Cup. Something brought the whole chamber down (Morgause's magic probably) but there's been a whole day of rubble removing and not a single sign.

I don't know what to think about this...I mean...I don't want Morgana to be dead, she's my sister! But...what she did to Camelot.

What she did to Father I...well...I can forgive. Because I don't even want to know what Father was thinking, Lord Gorlois was supposed to be his best friend, and what of Mother?

But I suppose...that's in the past and not much can be done about now...and if I wanted to see Father suffer, well, I've seen enough of that. He's completely shattered...he won't even speak to me or anyone. It's horrible to see.

Everything's just...overwhealming. And Guinevere won't be here until tomorrow...I know if I can last that long! But I'll have to...

In the meantime, I suppose there's Merlin to talk to, it won't be so bad, I mean sometimes he's even wise!

Or maybe I can do what Gwaine - I'm sorry Sir Gwaine would do in these situations...drink mead.

The past ten days have been mentally, if not physically draining. But since snapping out of his dispondency a few days ago, Arthur's mind has been full of plans, questions and fears. The people of Camelot need him, that much is true, but how could he come to their and his father's rescue?

Then Leon and Guinevere appeared...two people he had been sure were lost to him forever.

And then Lancelot and his friend, Percival had appeared and the little group of Arthur, Merlin, Gwaine, Elyan and Gaius had grown to what Arthur was somewhat confident could make some impact on Camelot.

That was why he had knighted Elyan, Gwaine, Percival and Lancelot, even though he knew that Father would never agree with it. But decisions had to be made and Arthur had made this one.

Now though, it was nearly midnight and quiet.

Tomorrow morning he, Merlin, Leon and the new knights would set out to take back Camelot or die trying.

It wasn't a pleasant thought, particularly in light of Guinevere. He'd just got her back and now he was to leave her again.

It's the sort of thing a king would do to protect his people and Arthur would of course, one day be king.

Still, it didn't make sleeping any easier and he was sitting up in a corner of the large room of the abandoned castle, thinking...

And wouldn't you know it, so is Camelot.

Yes, as it happens when I woke up this morning - or rather when Merlin woke me up in his oh-so delightful way - and looked out the window it finally wasn't a completely frosted veil in front of me.

Typical, just typical. It couldn't do this yesterday instead, no it had to be today. Well, it's not as if I'm a delicate flower or anything, but really.

Father seems to be fine, which is something to be grateful for, it means he's completely recovered from the poisoning. Of course, Gaius said he would be, but it's hard to believe unless you see it.

I won't be sorry to see the end of this weather. Although I will miss the snow knights...they were very imposing....I think they managed to guard us well.

Better than actual guards half the time.